What's more accurate: MFP or my bike?

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caburk02
caburk02 Posts: 22 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I work out daily on my recumbent bicycle. It has an awesome feature where you can change the resistance; I keep mine on the second highest setting. It also has a calorie counter and, after half-an-hour at around 12 mph, it says I've burned 300 calories.

However, when I put in "bicycling, 12 mph" on MFP, it says I have only burned 3/5 of that. Which should I go by? I assume MFP doesn't take resistance into account, but I also don't want eat unnecessary calories to make up for my exercise.

Replies

  • Maztastic
    Maztastic Posts: 43
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    I can't say with any authority but I reckon you bicycle is likely to be more accurate because it's more specific to you in that it's measuring the resistance as well as the speed.
  • Focusonfifty
    Focusonfifty Posts: 105 Member
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    MFP is good, but does have some flaws. Whenever I walk, which is everyday, no matter how long I've walked it tells me I've burned 141 calories. Whether 15 minutes or 2 hrs.
  • mistyb47711
    mistyb47711 Posts: 861 Member
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    I think you can count on what your bike says...MFP doesnt know about resistants....Also...My Dr told me not to eat any of my exercise calories if I am trying to lose weight. He said when you eat those that is for maintaining your weight or for bodybuilding. He also told me that If I get hungry after my workout eat a small filling snack within my calories....Hope this helps...
  • cohollywood
    cohollywood Posts: 90
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    I always go by the machines as MFP doesn't seem to be accurate at all. The other day, the machine told me I burned 300 some odd calories, and MFP told me I burned 800! Holy difference!

    Sometimes MFP is lower than the machine, some times it's higher - but, I just always listen to the machine. One of these days, I'll buy a a calorie counter. :)
  • SushiPunk
    SushiPunk Posts: 30 Member
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    MFP doesn't have a very specific exercise diary. It just ask for the minutes you did. Doesn't consider distance or resistance. I just use it as a general tool. Also if you put in any strength training it doesn't say you have burned any calories.
  • caburk02
    caburk02 Posts: 22 Member
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    I wish there was a "quick calories" feature for exercise as well as for food. That way I don't have to fudge what I was doing so that I can get my 300 calories in there.

    Thanks for all the comments! I appreciate the help!
  • phia1102
    phia1102 Posts: 2
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    You can adjust the calorie number listed, after you type in the total number of minutes. Simply delete the number MFP calculates and change it to what the correct number of calories burned is. HTH!

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